Vice Sports Launches YouTube 360-Degree VR Series

Vice Sports is giving fans a new look at athletes around the world with lead sponsor Reebok for The Moment, a YouTube series spotlighting extreme sport athletes.

The series launched this week with Parkour athlete and stuntman Ronnie Shalvis, giving viewers the option to watch as traditional video or utilize YouTube’s 360-degree virtual reality functionality.

In the latest Vice Sports video, viewers are given background information on Shalvis and his Parkour training regiment. As the video progresses and brings viewers to Goblin Valley State Park in Utah, they are given the option (around the four-minute mark) to watch Shalvis jump and flip through the park in 360-degree view or standard definition.

This first episode with Shalvis leads the series which will also feature the likes of professional dunker Sir Isaac White, MMA star Paige VanZant and champion rock climber Sierra-Blair Coyle in future episodes.

The Moment really captures the focus and preparation required of some of the best athletes in non-traditional sports,” said Will Kiersky, Vice Sports publisher. “What’s even better is that we can leverage the 360-degree view on YouTube to really provide our audience with a fully immersive and interactive experience from wherever they want to watch.”

The Moment documentary series is the latest in a string of intimate documentaries from Vice Sports who has recently covered the rock climbing scene in Lebanon and star NBA player Karl-Anthony Towns. With virtual reality and 360-degree video able to provide a more personal and immersed experience for viewers, VR technology may be just what Vice Sports has been looking for to take their documentaries to the next level.